Israel's military must begin calling up ultra-orthodox men for military service, according to a unanimous decision by the country's highest court.
The ruling puts further pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu's government coalition.
Since there is no law that distinguishes ultra-orthodox seminary students from others, the country's mandatory military service system also applies to ultra-orthodox individuals, just like other citizens, the highest court in Israel has ruled.
The state is engaging in "invalid selective enforcement", which represents a serious violation of the rule of law and the principle that all individuals are equal before the law, according to the court.
Full-time studies
Most Jewish men and women in Israel must serve mandatory military service at the age of 18. However, ultra-orthodox individuals have previously been exempted while pursuing full-time studies in religious seminaries. This exemption has been a source of criticism from the more secular population, criticism that has intensified since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out last October.
The democracy organisation MQG – which stood behind the petition to the court – is urging the government and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant to implement the ruling immediately, reports the Times of Israel.
Risk of conflict
Two ultra-orthodox parties are key partners in Prime Minister Netanyahu's government coalition and have opposed changes to the current system. The ruling may lead to growing conflicts within the coalition, between those who support the court's decision and those who oppose it.
During the court hearings, government lawyers argued that recruiting ultra-orthodox men into the military would "tear Israeli society apart".
